The Dreaming is the fourth album by the English singer Kate Bush, released in 1982. Almost two years in the making, it was the first album Bush produced entirely by herself. The album peaked at no. 3 on the UK album chart and has been certified Silver by the BPI.[7]

With Kate Bush's third album being a co-production between her and Jon Kelly, she decided for her fourth album to break out on her own and be the sole producer. Work began around the time of the third album's release with the first demo for "Sat in Your Lap" being laid down in September 1980 after being inspired by a Stevie Wonder concert that she attended.[14] With her newfound freedom, Bush experimented with production techniques, creating an album that features a diverse blend of musical styles. She also utilised the Fairlight CMI digital sampling synthesizer. In June 1981, the first single was released, "Sat in Your Lap", which peaked at No.11 in the UK. Work however was proving more time consuming with a release date for the album not forthcoming. Over the summer of 1981, Bush worked on the album in Abbey Road Studios and Odyssey Studios as well as working with Irish bands Planxty and The Chieftains in Dublin.[15] After long days in the studio, Bush decided to take a break from the album in the latter part of 1981 and resumed work in the early months of 1982 - laying overdubs and other final touches throughout the period January to May 1982 in Advision Studios.[16]

The Dreaming's songs draw on old crime films ("There Goes a Tenner"), a documentary about the war in Vietnam ("Pull Out the Pin"), the plight of Indigenous Australians ("The Dreaming"), the life of Houdini ("Houdini") and Stephen King's novel The Shining ("Get Out of My House").[17] Other tracks explore more personal issues; "Sat in Your Lap" examines feelings of apathy versus burning self-confidence and the search for knowledge, while "Leave It Open" speaks of the need to acknowledge and express the darker sides of one's personality (within the greater context of maintaining an open mind).[18]

The album was finally released in September 1982 following the second single, title track "The Dreaming". The single performed badly, peaking at a low 48, but the album fared better, peaking at No.3 in the UK. It however only remained on the chart for 10 weeks, making this Bush's lowest-selling album, being certified just silver.[19][20]

"The main thing I heard was 'uncommercial'… the label that the press, the record company put on it. "But for an uncommercial record to go straight in at No.3 in the charts seems ironic to me."

In November the next (and final) single, "There Goes a Tenner" was released in the UK. It failed to chart at all - Bush's only single not to enter the UK top 100.[19] In Europe, "Suspended in Gaffa" was released instead, which performed better chartwise. Belatedly, another single, "Night of the Swallow" was released in Ireland in November 1983.[16]

Despite the album's relatively lacklustre sales elsewhere, The Dreaming was Bush's first album to dent the US Billboard Top 200, largely due to the growing influence of college radio. Following this, an EP was released in 1983, which also charted. In 1984, her second album Lionheart was belatedly released in the US.[16]

Upon its release, The Dreaming met with a mixed critical reception. Many were baffled by the dense soundscapes Bush had created. Melody Maker said in a favourable review that the album was indeed baffling but also interesting, labelling "Suspended in Gaffa" the only "vaguely conventional track". It predicted however its failing in the charts.[22] In a later review AllMusic commented on Bush's production stating that it was full-on and angry.[4] Bush herself has called The Dreaming her "I've gone mad album" and said it wasn't particularly commercial.[23] On later revisiting the album she said she was surprised by the sound, saying that it was quite an angry record.[24]

The album cover depicts a scene described in the lyrics to the song "Houdini". In the picture shown, Bush is acting as Harry Houdini's wife, holding a key in her mouth, which she is about to pass on to him.[25] The photograph is rendered in sepia, with just the gold key and Bush's eye make-up showing any colour. The man with her on the cover photograph was her bass player, engineer and long-time partner Del Palmer.

With the lengthy and expensive studio time used to complete the album, EMI Records were concerned at the relatively low yield of the album. Following this, Bush decided to build her own studios where she could be free to spend as much time as she liked. Although her next album was another long-gestating project, it returned Bush to the top of the charts.[23]

In the October 1990 issue of "Rolling Stone", Suzanne Vega listed The Dreaming as one of her favorite albums of the eighties.[citation needed]